President Trump agreed to re-open the government for three weeks because Democrats signaled they’re willing to negotiate on border security, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said Monday.

Sanders: “The President has opened the government on the basis that Democrats have signaled to us that they’re willing to actually get serious about a real deal and get serious about fixing the border.”

WATCH:

“The President has opened the government on the basis that Democrats have signaled to us that they're willing to actually get serious about a real deal and get serious about fixing the border.” –@PressSecpic.twitter.com/Or4A5k31Hl

The shutdown, of course, occurred because Democrats did not want to give Trump $5.7 billion for a border wall.

A new study suggests the 35-day shutdown actually cost seven times more than the amount of money requested for the wall by the Trump administration.

A new report by a statistics professor at Washington University in St. Louis estimates that the 35-day partial government shutdown cost seven times more than the $5.7 billion that President Donald Trump requested for a border wall on the U.S.-Mexico border.

Liberty Vittert, who is also an ambassador for the Royal Statistical Society, writes that estimates for the cost of the shutdown per day range from $52 million to $360 million.

Standard & Poor’s has estimated that this shutdown will cost the American economy $6.5 billion per week – a figure they based on data from previous shutdowns. This estimate includes the reduction in spending by furloughed federal workers (though not their actual pay), as well as other trickle-down effects: lost business and revenue to private contractors, fewer vacations and school trips due to park closures, etc. That puts us at about $32 billion just for basic economic disruption.

[…]

Altogether, I estimate that the 35-day shutdown cost the American public somewhere around $40 billion. And that economic damage doesn’t include the unquantifiable damage being done to the 800,000 people who are going without a paycheck.

President Trump wants it known. He did not cave to Speaker Pelosi and the Democrats.

By agreeing to reopen the government, did not end his campaign to build a wall on America’s southern border.

WATCH:

JUST IN: "We really have no choice but to build a powerful wall or steel barrier. If we don't get a fair deal from Congress, the government will either shutdown on February 15 again or I will use the powers afforded to me…to address this emergency." https://t.co/w0K6ccMKt9pic.twitter.com/68gUwwiRHp

Trump noted, “I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!”

Here’s the tweet:

I wish people would read or listen to my words on the Border Wall. This was in no way a concession. It was taking care of millions of people who were getting badly hurt by the Shutdown with the understanding that in 21 days, if no deal is done, it’s off to the races!

Sarah Sanders elaborated, noting that the wall is coming in 21 days “with or without the Democrats.”

In 21 days President @realDonaldTrump is moving forward building the wall with or without the Democrats. The only outstanding question is whether the Democrats want something or nothing

In 21 days President @realDonaldTrump is moving forward building the wall with or without the Democrats. The only outstanding question is whether the Democrats want something or nothing https://t.co/dMaDfBOIuT

According to Waters in a not-so-subtle threat, it’s time to “get rid” of “despicable” President Trump.

“We must understand that the Fed does not work for the president of the United States. The Fed creates monetary policy based on what’s good for the economy and, of course, I may disagree from time to time with their decisions but we must not interfere. They must be independent. Right now Powell is saying that they’re dealing with inflation, but they don’t work for the president. The president can’t fire them. All that the president can do when he opens his mouth is rattle the markets. As a matter of fact, the volatility that you see in the markets is caused by the kinds of statements that this president will make causing more uncertainty.”

“I’m not surprised that the president is doing this because I’m not surprised at anything that the president may do or say. I have warned America from the beginning that this president is not worthy, he cannot be trusted, he’s a liar, He’s despicable. Any time he steps in, opens his mouth, tries to interfere with one of our agencies I’m not shocked but the American people continue to be shocked. The Republicans are intimidated and not standing by their responsibility for oversight and dealing with this president. So, yes, no, Powell does not work for him. The attorney general should not work for him, but he thinks that they all should be working for him and not for the American people. We need to get rid of this president.“

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Clandestine Cabal Seeks to Hide Info in Jeffrey Epstein Case

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